


The Sun Will Shine Upon Us Again

by NerdKenz2001



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Gaang (Avatar), Gaang (Avatar) as Family, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Team as Family, The Gaang Learns How Zuko Got The Scar (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko Joins The Gaang Early (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24955831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdKenz2001/pseuds/NerdKenz2001
Summary: Zuko is the banished prince of the Fire Nation and has been searching for the Avatar since that fateful Agni Kai almost three years ago.It is expected that the Avatar was an Air Nomad, but the world didn’t know that the Air Nomad, Water Tribe, and Earth Kingdom Avatar all died without anyone noticing.Now, the new Avatar is from the Fire Nation.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Hakoda & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Yue & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 604





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had another burst of inspiration.

Zuko punched a ball of fire Towards the fire bending crew that helps him train his hand to hand combat. His uncle would yell instructions or critiques from the side lines, so one the banished prince fixed his errors he was able to quickly defeat them.

”Well done, Prince Zuko.” Iroh smiled at his nephew. “Why don’t you get something to eat and we can pick this up in the morning. You have been training all day.”

Before Zuko could argue with his use, Iroh shoved a towel into his nephew’s hands. “And take a bath.”

”Alright, uncle.” He really didn’t want to argue right now and he went to his chambers, which already had a tub filled with hot water waiting for him. Zuko just sighed and rolled his eyes at his uncle. His uncle is overprotective but he can’t fault the man after everything he’s been through.

He stripped himself and slowly lowered himself into the scorching hot water that soothed his aching muscles. His uncle might be overprotective, but he sure does know how to relax. It was nice.

As the banished prince let out a content sigh he heard his flag start to whip around like the ship’s flag does during a storm, and that startled him. His eyes turned towards the porthole in his room and shook his head. He had left it open when he was meditating this morning. He’d better close it before he catches a cold, then his uncle would really worry. Ugh, he hated it when he got sick.

The flag started to whip around harder but Zuko felt no breeze coming through the open porthole. Maybe he couldn’t feel it since he is submerged in the nearly boiling water, or he is getting sick.

”I guess I better get out before Uncle sends out a search party,” Zuko muttered and stood up. He closed the open porthole and got dressed in his casual clothes instead of his armor. It was almost time for him to get some sleep so that he can be well rested to hunt the avatar.

”There you are!” Iroh smiled at his scarred nephew. “I was about to send a search party after you!”

Zuko jut rolled his eyes and sat across his uncle in the dining hall. He gave a quick thanks to the cook and started to eat the Stir Fry that he’s grown to secretly love, but he keeps that to himself.

”Prince Zuko,” Iroh said. “Where should we set course to? We do need to stock up on supplies as well.”

”Closest port to the South Pole.” Iroh nodded and asked his nephew for one round of Pai Sho. “Uncle-“

”By calming the mind then we will become the most clear.” Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle’s proverb but humored the old man. he must be going soft for the old man.

”Whatever you say,” he sighed.

...

Zuko couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he as his father standing over him. He’s been having this same nightmare for a few days and hasn’t slept more then a few hours each night. “I guess I’ll practice to my swords.”

He might have not trained with Master Piandao in years but he does keep the old master’s teachingS to heart. He might now have the chance to bend one day and in this day and age, that could mean the difference between life and death.

As he practiced the familiar movements with the duel swords, the wind started to pick up with each finished movements. Zuko looked up at the night sky and was confused. The moonlit sky was clear and there wasn’t even a hint of storm clouds.

Okay, he must be overthinking things, or he just needed to sleep. Zuko shook his head and walked over to the bow of the ship in order to look out at the open sea. He wishes he could be like the open ocean. Free to do whatever he wanted, but life isn’t that easy. Nothing is ever that easy from he has learned through his short life.

Suddenly, the waves started to grow restless and started to toss the ship and Zuko had to hold onto the railing on order to avoid being thrown off the ship. That is when the waves started to returned the ship back to it’s genial rocking.

The ex-prince’s heart almost pounded out of his chest from the suddenness of the tossing waves. His grip on the railing that had turned his knuckles white on loosened when he heard his uncle’s voice call out to him. “Nephew!”

Zuko’s uncle grabbed the boy and pulled him into an embrace. “Why are you out here?! You should be in your room! Come, let’s go inside. I’ll make you a calming tea.”

Iroh dragged his nephew inside without waiting for Zuko to respond. He was pushed down onto a cushion in his uncle’s rom and has a tea cup shoved into his hands. Jasmine tea, Uncle’s favorite.

”Nephew,” Iroh sighed. “Why were you on the deck in the middle of the night? You should be sleeping. Prince Zuko... Are you not sleeping again?”

”No,” Zuko muttered in an attempt to deflect the question. “I was just having an off night, that’s all.”

Iroh gave Zuko a pointed look and the boy looked away in avoidance, and Iroh knew that Zuko had lied. The old general gave a heavy sigh and gave his nephew a sad look.

”I’ll take your word for it... for now, but if this happen again...”

”I know.”

”Good,” Iroh said and finished his cup. “Now, go get some sleep.”

* * *

Two young Southern Water Tribe kids were in a small fishing boat as they slowly floated between the chunks of ice. One was a young man about of fifteen summers while the other inhabitant of the boat was one of fourteen.

”It’s not getting away form me this time.” Sokka had a face of pure concentration as he held spear. “Watch and learn, Katara. This is how you catch a fish.”

Katara sighed in annoyance and gasped when she saw a fish swimming near her. She took off her glove and started to wave her hand in order to water bend. The fish was pulled out of the water in a water orb. “Sokka! Look!”

”Shh! Katara, you’re gonna scare it away. I can already smell it cooking!”

”But Sokka! I caught n!: As she waved her arms around with the fish. She bended t over her brother’s head so that he could see it, but at that moment Sokka aimed the spear and ended up popping the bubble. “Hey!”

”Why is it that every time you play with your magic water,I always get soaked?” Katara huffed in frustration at her brother.

”It’s not magic! It’s water bending and its-“

”Yeah, yeah. An ancient art unique to our culture. Blah, blah, blah.” Sokka squeezed out the water out of his hair. “Look, I’m just saying if I had weird powers, I’d keep my weirdness to myself.”

”You’re calling _me_ weird?” Katara scoffed. “I’m not the one making muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water.”

Before the boy cold respond, however, the boat rocked around when they got caught in a current that led out to both a blockage of ice as well as open sea. Sokka tried to row in order to regain control but the ice was making it difficult. Katara yelled warnings as they avoided being hit, but the but was crushed by two large pieces of ice.

”You call that left?!”

”You don’t don’t like my steering, well, maybe you should have,” he made a wave motion with his hands. “Water bended us outta the way of the ice.”

”So it’s my fault?!”

”I knewI should have left you home! Leave it to a girl to screw things up.” The young water bender’s eyes started to twitch.

”You are the most sexist,” as she yelled waves started to form. “Immature, not brained-! I’m embarrassed to be related to you!” he waves had formed a large crack in the iceberg. Sokka, who was barely paying attention to his younger sister, snapped to attention when he hear his the sickening sound of a crack. “Ever since mom died I’ve been doing al the work around camp while you’ve been off paying soldier!”

”Uh,” he pointed behind her. “Katara-“

”I even wash al the clothes! have you ever smelt your dirty socks. Let me tell you! Not pleasant!” Even more cracks started to form. Sokka begged for his sister to calm down. “No! That’s it! I’m done helping you!from now on, you’re on your own!”

And that finally does it.

The two gasped in shock as the ice cracked in two and fell into the water below. The once of the water caused the siblings to be pushed back as their iceberg that they floated on stayed afloat.

”Okay, you went from weird to freakish Katara!”

”You mean,” she paused. “I did that?!”

”Yep! Congratulations!”

And as I things couldn’t get worse, the water below them started to glow a turquoise blue. Great.

* * *

Iroh cooed at the creatures that were cages. They had mouse-dogs lizard-cats, armadillo-rats, and turtleducks. He knows that zuko loves turtleducks, so maybe he’ll get one for Zuko. Yes, he’ll get Zuko a young turtleduck.

after paying the man, Iroh took the cage and boarded the Wani. Zuko was in his room going over maps so that could plan their route accordingly. However, before he could below ship, Lieutenant Jee stopped the old general. “Sir, is hat a turtleduck?”

Iroh nodded. “Prince Zuko loves turtleducks and I thought it’ll be a good idea to get him one. Make sure to bring in a small tub of water. I already bought at least six months worth of feed for it.”

”uh- Yes sir.” Iroh smiled and went downstairs.

”Prince Zuko?” Iroh knocked. “May I come in?”

”Yes, uncle.” His nephew’s voice rang out and Iroh quickly hid the now sleeping water fowl behind his back. He entered the room and took notice that his nephew still had on his night clothes. Iroh just sighed and stood next to Zuko.

”I bought you something.” Zuko sighed and before he could yell at his uncle for spending money on useless things, the old general revealed the turtleduck to him. The bay froze and just stared dumbfounded at the feature until Iroh’s arm got tired of holing the cage and he placed the turtleduck in is lap. “I found her when I went in for town.”

”Does...” Zuko swallowed. “Does she have...a name?”

”No.” Iroh smiled and informed his nephew that he has the right to name the water fowl. Zuko gave a small smile and gently took the turtleduck out of the cage. The gentle jostling woke the baby up and it blinked lazily at the banished prince. “I think I’ll name her... Mango.”

The flag handing in Zuko’s room started to flap around rapidly. Iroh looked around and saw that the porthole was not open,as well as no draft from the hallway.

”Nephew...?” The flag immediately stop flapping as Zuko’s attention came off of the turtleduck.

”Yes?”

”Nothing...” Zuko just raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

’ _This is not good,’_ Iroh thought as he noticed the flag start flapping again.

...

Iroh sat at his writing desk and let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Should he contact Pakku just because of a coincidence? If he could get Zuko to water bend then he would know for sure but how? It’s not like he was go and ask hi nephew to try and water bend.

Hmm... Maybe he could use the turtleduck to his advantage.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko watched with a fond expression as Mango waddled across his desk. She quacked happily as she explored her new surroundings. Each step he turtleduck took indirectly caused the flag to flap around rapidly. She was happy with her new owner, and he was happy with her.

”Nephew?” His uncle’s voice called fro behind the door. “May I come in?”

The banished prince gave a slight huff in response since he wanted to spend time alone with Mango, but Iroh did give him the turtleduck and he also liked his uncle. So he would allow it. His uncle entered the room with a grim expression and he was also holding a bucket of water, which Zuko thought was weird since Mango already had water to swim around in. “What’s that for?”

”Humor an old man.”

”Uncle, you know you’re-”

”Zuko.” Iroh didn’t have time to banter and that concerned the scarred teen. “I need you to try and bend this water n this bucket.”

Silence engulfed the two fire benders and the turtleduck. The two princes stared at each other, one with shock in his eyes and the other had concern in his eyes.

”What...?” Zuko whispered. “Uncle, are you okay? You aren’t sick, are you?”

”Zuko,” Iroh pleased desperately. “Just try and bend the liquid!”

The banished prince stood up and looked at his only sane relative with concern. The flag started whipping around frantically, but only Iroh noticed. Zuko put hand to the Dragon of the West’s forehead and frowned when he didn’t feel any extra heat radiating that would indicate a fever.

”Zuko,” the former general whispered. “Did you notice that your flag keeps whipping around whenever you have extreme emotions?”

Zuko blinked and the flag stopped moving. This time, he did notice it.

”Zuko, please try and if you can’t bend it then I’ll have someone fix the draft in your room.” The boy nodded silent and sat down with Mango on his shoulder and a bucket full of water in his lap. “From one of my sources, water bending is like pushing and pulling. try to concentrate and do that.”

The banished prince raised his hand and close his eyes like when he was meditating. Just like keeping the candle lit and increasing and decreasing the size of the flame, he started pulling the water towards him.

Iroh’s eyes widen as he watched the water lift up out of the bucket. His nephew is truly the Avatar, and his will destroy him. “Zuko, that’s enough.”

The water fell back into the water, startling the banished price due to the noise and stared at the bucket in shock. How could...? He was a fire bender! He must be dreaming. He needs to wake up and forget this dream. Uncle coul-

“Prince Zuko!” Uncle Iroh called as he shook his nephew’s shoulders. “Snap out of it!”

He burst into tears and stared muttering that he couldn’t return home. That his father would really kill him and that he couldn’t help his people. He just wanted to go home.

The former general pulled his sobbing nephew into his arms and started telling the teen that he’ll stay with Zuko, and that they will figure this out together. That he’ll always stand by the banished prince.

...

Mango had buried herself between Zuko’s neck as he laid numbly on his bed. She decided that it will be better to just wait for her human to come to her instead. Sure, she had to peck at Zuko’s figures to make sure he ate, but other than that she waited. She waited so much that she fell asleep, and she got angry at herself because she needed to stay awake.

”Quack!” She yelled when she was woken up by being pet by her human. 

“Did I scare you?” Zuko chuckle and Mango huffed in response. She was a mighty turtleduck and she never got scared, but if It made her boy feel better than she’ll allow it. Just this one.She quacked at him and buried herself under Zuko’s blanket.

A knock on her human’s door put her on edge, but it as just the family member of the teen she watches over. She liked the man, because he gave her tea cakes, and he cares for her human.

”Zuko?” Iroh whispered. “Come outside with me. It has been a week! You look like you’re skin and bones!”

The banished prince pulled up the blanket over is head like he did when he was a child and was upset when Iroh was called back to the war front. It caused a small smile to creep onto Iroh’s face, but it quickly wet away and he pulled the blanket away from his nephew’s face. “Prince Zuko, please come outside with me. Soon we will be entering the waters that belong to the Southern Water Tribe and it’ll become a lot colder.”

Iroh watched his nephew for a few moments before the teen he thinks of as a son nodded slowly. This is good. This is progress.

He helped his pseudo son out of bed and left the room o that Zuko could get himself together. He had one of the crewmen get himself his tea supplies and a table and blanket.

The former general sat on his legs as he waited for Zuko to join him. Sure, by the time Zuko graced him with his presence, the tea Iroh had made had gone cold. However, Iroh would warm it up. It wasn’t that difficult.

They sat in silence for a few moments before a bright light illuminated the sky near the South Pole. The two princes covered their eyes so that they could protect their eyes from the glare.

Iroh heard his nephew let out a soft string of curses that Zuko probably picked up from the crew. He’ll have to talk with them once Zuko goes to bed. He didn’t need his nephew to pick up on suck... inappropriate behavior since he’s at an impressionable age.

”What was that?” Zuko asked once the light disappeared. “Uncle...?”

”I have no idea,” the former general confessed. He noticed the glint in his nephew’s eyes and he shook his head. “Prince Zuko, I know this isn’t what you wanted but-“

”But Uncle,” Zuko pleaded. “He could be-“

”You know that whatever that was will not contain the Avatar,” Iroh sighed. “Prince Zuko, I know this isn’t want you wanted but-“

”No!” His nephew snapped. “You have no idea how I’ll feel!”

The waves surrounding the boat started to increase as his nephew’s anger grew. The Wani started to be knocked back and forth. Iroh tried to calm his pseudo son before the ship capsizes but Zuko wouldn’t listen. He won’t listen until he let’s out all of his pent up frustration. Even if it isn’t in the most healthy manner.

Wind started to whip past them causing Zuko’s outburst to be drowned out. By now, the crew seemed to have noticed because Lieutenant Jee came rushing out to help the royals as well as ask them what was happening since the sky gave no indication that there was a storm arriving.

”General Iroh! We must get-AH!” When Jee arrived outside, Zuko’s ire became directed at him instead of their surroundings. This caused the wind to pick up the older man and toss him around. Once he heard the Lieutenant scream in fear, Zuko’s eyes widened and his hanger quickly disappeared as he ran to catch Jee.

The older man landed on the banished prince’s back. Both males groaned in pain, but Iroh noticed that once Zuko realized what he was doing to Jee the wind and water returned back to normal. If Zuko’s powers are activated by his extreme emotions then we might have a problem.

 _’Agni above,’_ Iroh begged. _‘Lend me strength.’_

* * *

“So,” Sokka sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose as he leaned over the “flying” bison’s saddle so that he could talk with Aang. “Let me get this straight. You need to help the Avatar learn air bending? And you were in that iceberg for one hundred years?”

”Yep!” Aang smiled like his story wasn’t suspicious. Like it was a perfectly understandable explanation. Also, his sister’s motherly nature was overpowering her sense of reason, or her sense of reason wasn’t the greatest. “Although, which nation is the Avatar from now? Earth?”

The two siblings gave each other a look. “We don’t know. The last recorded Avatar was the Air Nomad one.”

”What?!” Aang explained. “So you have no idea if there was a water or earth Avatar? Maybe there is one from the Fire Nation?”

”If there was one, then they probably killed them,” Katara said sadly while Sokka said that an Avatar from the Fire Nation would be evil since the Fire Nation is evil. ”Sokka!”

”What? If they didn’t kill the Avatar outright then they must be brainwashed!”

”Their past lives would never let them be evil!” The two siblings started to argue about what would happen if the Avatar was Fire Nation, but Aang ignored them. What if there really wasn’t another Avatar in this world?

* * *

Zuko locked himself inside of his room and even refused to accept any food. Iroh was growing more concerned as the day went by and yet no indication that Zuko had moved at all. It wasn’t until the sunset the day after the incident that Iroh Had enough. He actually commanded the other crew to break down Zuko’s door.

”Are you sure, sir?” Jee asked. Iroh nodded and stood out of the way as the three other crewmen tried to pry open the mental door. However, there was not a single movement from the door.

”I believe that Prince Zuko might have barricaded his door,” one of them explained. That made the old man’s heart start to pound at an alarming rate.

”Nephew!” Iroh begged. “Open the door!”

Silence.

Now all of the crew were worried for the young teen and they put all of their strength into opening the door, but it still wouldn’t budge. “ZUKO! You better open this door now!”

The tone of voice shocked the crew since they never heard the Dragon of the West raise his voice. So, this is why many soldiers were terrified of the old, tea loving man.

Unbeknownst to them, Zuko ad Mango weren’t in the banished prince’s room. No, they had snuck out of the porthole that resided in the teen’s room. At this very moment, the scarred teen and turtleduck were wrapped up in warm clothing and carrying supplies as they tracked through the barren tundra of the southern pole.

”If we head towards where that light was, Mango, we should be able to get some answers.” The turtleduck gave her human a quack and buried herself into the teen’s hood. She would follow her human to the ends of the earth if need be.

Zuko trended through the snow, and occasionally hopped across icebergs, for what seemed like forever. It seemed like they made very little progress in travel until they stumbled across an old Fire Nation ship that was held up in ice. Mango gave a quack of excitement as Zuko scaled the ice prison towards the deck of the ship.

”How old is this ship...?” Zuko asked.He carefully entered the ship and gave a small sneeze when he entered below deck since t had a very thin layer of dust. Snow had seeped through the holes n the ship but for he most part it was warm.

As he explored the rest of the ship he made a mental note about the hidden traps that covered certain areas. Like the captains quarters, the boiler room, and the cells that were located at the bottom of the ship.

Once he located the infirmary, he looked around for some medicine because he wasn’t going to raid the one on the Wani just in case someone from his crew needed medical supplies. He would never risk the health and safety of those who have served him plus his uncle was aboard.

”Quack!” Mango blooped he beak against Zuko’s cheek. Zuko smiled and booped her beak.

”You’re right. I’ll start a fire.” Zuko laid is pack down and found some broken handles that were made of wood. Luckily, the snow didn’t seem to drench them so they were easy to light up at least. “We’ll set up camp for the night and we’ll start searching for that light source.”

Mango just jumped down from Zuko’s shoulders and he set out some turtleduck feed for her (after wearing them up with fire bending because he has spoiled her). For himself, he ate some fruit that they had gotten from the Port they stopped at where Mango was purchased.

Silence overtook Zuko and Mango as they ate their dinner in peace. Zuko then noticed that the frost that covered the walls and ceiling was melting. He could use it to gather fresh water, so that’s what he did. He grabbed what looked like it was semi-clean and left it under the dripping frost.

By the time the water filled up half the bucket, Zuko decided o bend the water so that he was absolutely sure. He really wanted the last few weeks to be a dream but with his luck but it most likely wasn’t. So, he raised his hand and pulled water out of the bucket. The water shaped into an orb over the bucket and Zuko let out a sigh of frustration, which caused the orb to pop and the water bell back into the bucket.

”Of course,” he sighed and plopped onto his back. “Why must these things happen to me?”

”Quack!”

”Shush you.”

”Quack!” Mango got up and climbed onto the teen and plopped down onto Zuko’s face, most likely in an attempt to get Zuko to stop degrading himself. Zuko huffed but he let her stay there since he spoiled her.

”Night.” He closed his eyes and he must have been exhausted since he fell asleep not that long after.

...

”This ship has haunted my Tribe since Gran Gran was a little girl.” Zuko’s eyes flew open and he quickly sat up, startling Mango. ”It was apart of the Fire Nation’s first attack.”

Great. Someone from the Southern Water Tribe.

”Okay, back up. I have friends all over the word, even in the Fire Nation.” Zuko quickly packed up his belongings and then picked up his turtleduck companion. “So not everyone from the Fire Nation are evil.”

 _”We aren’t evil,’_ Zuko thought as he pressed himself against the wall that was separating them. Just then, with his terrible luck, A snow mouse scurried across pipe above them which caused Mango to quack in fear. Zuko tried to silence her before they were heard, but t was too late.

”Someone’s here!”

The door that hid them was quickly opened and the sight that greeted him had made his blood run cold. It was a girl dressed in Water Tribe clothing...and an Air Nomad. The two groups stared a each other, both too stunned to Do anything before Zuko broke the tension.

”Um...hi...?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where I’m at, we are in the middle of a heat wave and the heat causes me to have migraines.
> 
> So yeah. Hope you liked the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK AT THIS AMAZING FANART lolswolf (from my discord server) DID FOR THIS FIC! I LOVE IT!!!! 
> 
> If you wanna draw some fanart for any of my works then just tag me in them so I can brag about how amazing my readers are! 
> 
> Discord: https://discord.gg/hkUPneP  
> Instagram: @steveawkardgrimreaper  
> Tumblr: nerdkenz01

“Um....hi...?”

“Hi! I’m Aang! What’s your name?” The air nomad asked while the Water Tribe girl look petrified. Why? He did nothing to her though. Was it because of the scar on his face?

”I’m Lee,” Zuko lies.

”How did you get into this ship?” The Water Tribe girl asked with her eyes staring at Zuko while sneaking glances at the doorway.

”I needed shelter.” The water that was in the bucket started to shake, as the Air- Aang kept asking him question. Like what was on his shoulder (his pet turtleduck), how’d he got here (by ship), and the final question was how he got his scar. That’s when the water in the bucket tipped over. The sound startled all three of them and Zuko raised his hand in order to pull the water towards him so that it won’t be wasted.

”You’re a water bender!” The girl squealed. “What didn’t you say anything?”

”You...never asked...?” Zuko stated and carefully put the water back in the bucket.

”Are you from the Northern Water Tribe*?” Zuko shook his head and told them that he was from the Fire Nation.

”How can a water bender be from the Fire Nation?” Aang asked. The Water Tribe girl, who introduced herself as a Katara, nodded in agreement. Zuko pursed his lips and sighed. Should he tell them? He looked at Mango and she nodded her tiny head.

”Because I wasn’t always a water bender.” They both gasped in surprise.

”You mean...?”

Zuko raised his right hand up and summoned a flame. He then put it out soon after. After staring at the smoldering ashes, he put his head in his hands and slid down the wall of the old ship. As soon as he was sitting on the floor, he tipped over and curled into a ball. 

”You’re...” Katara gasped in glee but frowned in confusion at Zuko’s negative reaction once she mentions it. “What’s... Aren’t you happy? You can stop this war! You’re the Avatar!”

"I don't want to be!" The teen snapped, causing the fire to shoot up and grow in intensity. Both of the young benders flinched in response. Zuko realized this and took some deep breaths in order to calm himself. "S- sorry..."

"Why don't you want to be the Avatar?" Aang asked him. Katara said nothing but gave the banished prince an unrecognizable look. Zuko huffed and told them about how he would never be welcome home if it is discovered that he's the Avatar.

"Don't you want to end this war?!" Katara snapped suddenly. "The Fire Nation is evil!"

"No it isn't!"

"They took my mother away! As far as I am concerned, they are pure evil!" Zuko looked away in shame. Her mother was taken from her... just like his was. HE could hear Katara crying in the background with Aang trying to comfort her. She was obviously hurt by his people, but that can't be right. They were spreading their greatness to others... weren't they?

"My mother,,, she was also taken from me." Katara looked at him with hesitation in her eyes. Aang also looked hesitant but said nothing as a sign for Zuko to continue. "My father... doesn't portray his feelings like others do. I mean, I'm the family disappointment and if they find out I'm our nation's greatest enemy..."

"Lee," Katara breathed out. "How did you get your scar?"

Zuko flinched and grabbed the left side of his face. Mango flapped her wings and buried herself into his neck in order to calm the teen. "I disrespected my father..."

"Your father gave you that?!"

"I was being disrespectful! I spoke out of turn!: They looked at him with horror in their eyes. Now they see that he wasn't worthy of his father's love. That he deserved to be scarred and banished. That-

"How could you defend him after her did that?!" The scarred teen's head snapped towards the Water Tribe girl. "No parent should ever hurt their child!"

"But-"

"Lee," Aang interrupted. "No one deserves to be hurt like you were. The monks told me-"

"But the air nomads were creating an army to attack the Fire Nation!" Zuko exclaimed. "Everyone knows that! It was the very first thing taught in history!"

They both stared at him for a moment before Aang spoke up. "Lee... The Air Nomads are pacifists. We believe that all life is sacred."

"Then..." Does that mean everything he knows is wrong? All of the things he knew... but why lie? Why say that the Air Nomads had an army?

"Lee?" Katara asked.

"I... I need to... be alone..." Mango nuzzled him in response.

"Lee..."

"Please just leave me be," Zuko grunted as he tried to contain his anger. The two other benders looked at each other before the air bender pulled at Katara's sleeve. He whispered something but the unwilling Avatar ignored them. He just paid attention as his pet turtleduck started wattling down his arm.

* * *

"Where were you?!" Sokka yelled as he waited with the other villagers.

"Sokka, we found someone in the old FIre Nation ship! And he's-" The others gasped in fear and Katara's older brother grabbed his sister's arm.

"You were what?! You could have led him here!" katara tried to tell her brother about the teen but he wouldn't listen to her. He ran back to their home and started getting his warriors outfit on. He had to protect their tribe.

"Sokka! Stop this!" Katara yelled as he stomped towards the ship. "He's the Avatar!"

This caused Sokka to stop in his tracks and he eye his sister and the monk. The villagers, that had refused to leave, also froze in place. The Avatar? In that old Fire Nation ship but how?

"He's Fire Nation!" Sokka said after a while. "He's the enemy."

He stopped listening to his sister yell at him as the women stopped his sister from chasing after him. Aang looked torn between going after Sokka and staying with his little sister. NO matter what, he has to eliminate the threat to his people.

Sokka swiftly climbed up the ice that had destroyed the iron sides of the reminder that looms over them every day. The reminder that now houses the enemy. AN enemy that was apparently the Avatar. _'Dammit, what are the odds?'_

Once he quietly entered the ship, he noticed a light glow coming from a room with a closed door. He didn't hear any voices, but he did hear soft quacking coming from the room. Sokka raised an eyebrow in curiosity but he decided to ignore it. He had ta mission to complete.

He grasped the door handle and pushed it slowly, so that he could avoid it from squeaking. The sight that greeted him was one that surprised him. There was someone, around his own age, petting a turtleduck who was "talking" to him. The teen wiggled his fingers in front of the waterfowl.

"Mango," the teen whispered. "Do you think I should go against my father...?"

"Quack!"

Does he understand the quacking meat? Not only is he the enemy, but he's a crazy enemy. Great.

"Are you here to kill me?" Sokka's eyes widened in shock. How did he know where he was? Are there others?

"How...?"

"Mango."

"WHo?" The fire bender pointed to the tiny turtleduck. Okay... so he is crazy. He's talking to dinner. 

"So... Are you here to kill me?" The Fire Nation enemy asked him with a raised eyebrow. Sokka, who had forgotten about his mission for a moment due to the crazy teen in front of him, blinked in response.

"Um... What...?" The teen raised an eyebrow in response but didn't say anything. The turtleduck just waddled over at Sokka before she screeched at him. SOkka covered his ears in pain.

"She likes you."

"Doesn't sound like it!" Sokka pouted at him before glaring at him. "You're the enemy."

"Yes, I know." The teen that Sokka knew nothing about sighed. "If you're going to kill me, can you give me your name? I'd like to know my killer's name."

"I'm not a killer!"

"Then why did you come here?"

"I- Shut up!" Sokka huffed. "Don't make me the bad guy! Everyone know's the Fire Nation are the bad guys! _You're_ the bad guy. You... You bad guy!"

"My name is Zu- Lee."

"Zu Lee?"

"No!" Zuko snapped. "It's Lee!"

Silence followed after for a moment of two before Sokka introduced himself. Sokka decided that crouching down was too uncomfortable and maneuvered around so that he could sit down across from Zuko. "Why are you here?"

Zuko pursed his lips before sighing. "I was chasing a false hope."

"What false hope?' The scarred prince glared but what did he have left to lose at this point? He explained how he'll be killed the moment that his fact finds out who he is. "So... You're really that Avatar?"

Instead of telling him that he is the spirit's cursed Avatar, Zuko showed him by both fire bending and water bending. Sokka's eyes widen before mumbling about how his sister was right.

"Are you going to harm my people?" Sokka asked with the seriousness in his voice cutting through the tension.

"Of course now!" Zuko explained as Mango flapped her wings in annoyance of Sokka's question. "I'm not a monster!"

"Everyone from the Fire-"

"Will you stop!" Zuko snapped. "My people aren't monsters! They have families! They have jobs! They all have lives!"

"They took the lives of many! They-" Before the male from the Southern Water Tribe could finish, both Aang and Katara burst through the door.

"Sokka! Don't hurt him!" Katara exclaimed before taking in her environment. "Sokka...?"

"I thought I told you to stay home! Ugh! Why won't women do what they're told!"

"Hey!" Zuko called out. "Women are just as useful as men! Their are women in the army!"

"That's why your nation is evil!" Sokka scoffed. "Letting women fight when they should be taking care of the house!"

Before Zuko could lunge at Sokka, Aang stood in the middle of the two. He had to stop his fried and the Avatar from fighting. The Avatar needed many allies and fighting at this point could cause trouble.

"Aang! Let me at him! Sokka snapped but before he could do something, a blast of water hit him in the back of the head. "Katara!"

"You need to calm down! The both of you!" Zuko huffed in anger and told her that Sokka kept insulting him and his people. 

"The Fire Nation-"

"SOkka! Shut up!"

The non-bender closed his mouth but continued to glare at the banished prince. Katara didn't pay attention thought as she was watching Zuko with wariness in her eyes. He might be the Avatar, but he still is from the Fire Nation

Zuko noticed this and grunted as he started to grab all of his supplies (and Mango). Aang raised an eyebrow and asked him where he was going. "Away from here! I never wanted this stupid Avatar gig! So you can have it!"

"Lee, that's not how it works..." Aang tried to explain but the Avatar ignored him. He didn't care. All he wanted was to go home. He... He just wanted his mom...

"Lee! You just can't run away from being the AVatar!" Kaatra yelled. "Don't be such a-"

"A what?! A monster?! Because to you guys I already am! You don't even know me!"

Katara's nostrils flared in anger but Zuko didn't care. He's done with this whole Avatar business. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter annoyed me because I am developing the evil writer's block. Hope you enjoyed it anyway.
> 
> *Mention of my other fic "Eclipse". It's where Zuko is raised in the the Northern Water Tribe.
> 
> (ALSO THIS IS BEFORE SOKKA DRANK THE RESPECT WOMEN JUICE)

**Author's Note:**

> Discord: https://discord.gg/hkUPneP


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